Senior members of the Conservative Party have warned that Rishi Sunak’s decision to prevent the UK from deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda could potentially jeopardize the peace process in Northern Ireland. This move would involve blocking human rights laws, which could have serious consequences.
Following similar concerns expressed by the White House on Thursday, Members of Parliament stated that the widely publicized plans by Downing Street to ignore aspects of the Human Rights Act could potentially jeopardize the Good Friday Agreement and harm the relationship between the UK and US.
The prime minister is facing mounting pressure from conservative MPs and government officials to limit the legal options available to asylum seekers who have won appeals against their deportation to Rwanda.
Next week, the government is predicted to reinstate its policy of sending asylum seekers to East Africa in light of the supreme court’s ruling that the initial plans were illegal.
Sunak is confident that the government can resolve the court’s concerns by implementing a new treaty with Rwanda. This treaty is expected to be signed by James Cleverly, the home secretary, next week. Additionally, emergency legislation may be enacted to prevent any future legal challenges to the policy.
During an interview with the Times, Cleverly admitted feeling “frustrated” about the attention on Rwanda and emphasized that it should not be considered the ultimate solution.
He stated that although it is a crucial aspect of the plans and will discourage individuals from crossing the Channel in small boats, it is just one element of a larger strategy.
Cleverly stated that he is of the opinion that withdrawing from the ECHR could potentially endanger important collaborations with other nations, such as France, who have assisted in addressing unlawful border crossings into the UK.
According to a report from The New York Times on Thursday, high-ranking officials in the White House expressed worry that a ban on legal disputes could harm the influence of the ECHR, which is crucial to upholding the Good Friday Agreement.
The justice select committee’s chair, Sir Bob Neill, who is also a former minister, expressed his worries about the potential consequences of trying to block human rights laws. He believes that this could harm the credibility of the ECHR and potentially jeopardize peace in Northern Ireland.
He stated that laws like the European Convention on Human Rights have been recognized as a crucial element of the Good Friday Agreement for a significant period of time.
Any action that weakens the integrity of the Good Friday agreement could have detrimental effects on the peace process. The convention cannot be selectively followed like a menu.
When asked about his stance on reports that many Conservative Members of Parliament may oppose any efforts to weaken human rights laws or the European Convention on Human Rights, Neill responded affirmatively. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a balanced approach and honoring our global commitments, stating, “While we are determined to address the issue of immigration, we cannot disregard our international responsibilities.”
A government official informed the Guardian that resignations would occur within the government if there were any efforts to obstruct human rights laws that would undermine the Good Friday Agreement.
The minister stated that this agreement is crucial to our global position and holds significant importance to Joe Biden. Our government upholds the value of international law and it is hoped and believed that the prime minister shares this belief.
The recent events occurred after Sunak declined to apologize for failing to keep a major campaign pledge, as net immigration reached unprecedented levels.
According to recent data, the gap in migration numbers between those entering and exiting the UK reached a high of 745,000 on Thursday.
During an interview at the Nissan factory in Sunderland, Sunak refrained from addressing the question of whether or not he would apologize for not fulfilling the manifesto promise. He stated, “I firmly believe that migration levels are currently too high and need to be reduced to a more sustainable level.”
The immigration minister, Robert Jenrick, presented a plan to No 10 with five points. The plan included suggestions for a mandatory minimum annual salary of £35,000 for obtaining a work visa and a limit on the total number of visas for healthcare and social service employees.
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According to Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, both suggestions may face challenges in reducing the figures, particularly if there is no exception for those in the care profession.
She stated that the root issue, which cannot be addressed by the immigration system, is the inadequate funding for care and the insufficient pay and working conditions that make it difficult to attract British workers to these challenging and stressful positions.
“The previous cap on skilled workers was lifted by the government when it began to have negative consequences due to operational challenges.”
When questioned by reporters, Downing Street declined to comment on Sunak’s thoughts about Jenrick’s suggestions, stating that they will not provide continuous updates on policy progress.
In a newspaper article, Boris Johnson stated that he planned to increase the minimum salary requirement to £40,000 annually.
Former Prime Minister, in his statement for the Daily Mail, stated that the British people voted in 2016 to regain control of the powers to address any issues and revise the immigration rules.
Last year, Johnson stepped down from his position and in 2019, he made a pledge in his manifesto to decrease the total number.
According to the ONS, the net migration in Britain for the year ending December 2022 was 745,000, representing the disparity between individuals entering and exiting the country legally.
The amount shown is three times greater than the levels observed prior to Brexit.
Several members of the Conservative party, particularly former home secretary Suella Braverman, have urged Sunak to fulfill the promise of decreasing the figures.
Efforts to limit the amount of international employees in the National Health Service and social care are expected to face opposition from healthcare authorities due to ongoing staffing shortages in the healthcare and social care industry.
Source: theguardian.com
